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Override backers raise nearly $37,000

By {screen_name}
Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Referred Measure 3B advocacy committee Friends of School District 51 raised nearly $37,000 between Aug. 30 and Sept. 28, according to a finance report filed Monday with the Colorado Secretary of State’s office.

The campaign’s largest contribution came from Discovery Channel Founder John Hendricks, who donated $15,000 to the committee. Hendricks owns Gateway Canyons Resort and has donated to Gateway School and to past District 51 bond issue campaigns.

“(Hendricks) is one of the business people who gets how crucial a school is in a small community,” said Friends of School District 51 member Cathy Story. “He knows Gateway School is viable and important and he supports the whole school district as well.”

The committee also received $5,000 each from Alpine Bank and Mesa Valley Education Association, $1,500 from the Colorado Education Association and $1,000 from Colorado West Healthcare System. FCI Constructors and Shaw Construction, which have performed construction work for the school district, donated $2,500 and $2,000, respectively.

Donations below $1,000 came from citizens, businesses, a few members of the Friends of School District 51 campaign, and at least six District 51 employees, including Superintendent Steve Schultz. School district employees are allowed to donate to campaign committees but are not allowed to campaign on behalf of any ballot issue while on the clock or using district resources.

The committee expects to receive $50,000 in donations by the end of the month, Story said. So far, the committee has spent $26,457 on banners and signs, postage for mailers and telephone service. The committee plans to send a series of four mailers to voters and phone bank volunteers will begin calling select voters today, according to Story.

“We have generated a list of likely voters” to call, Story said. “The demographic is mainly women with children who are busy and may not have cast their ballot right away.”

Campaign committee finance reports from across the state were due Tuesday. The reports had to cover campaign donations and expenditures made before Oct. 6. The next filings are due Oct. 28.